The programme of cinema „Riga” consists of quality author cinema and art-house films from Europe and other regions of world that have gained attention at international film festivals. The cinema also promotes accessibility and popularity of Latvian national cinema both at national and international level.
The programme is supplemented with different film festivals, including International Film forum Arsenals, International Film actors’ festival Baltic Pearl, National Film festival Lielais Kristaps, International Short film festival 2ANNAS, International Children’s film festival Berimor’s Cinema, short film programmes Future Shorts etc.
In cooperation with foreign embassies and culture centres cinema „Riga” presents various film days and retrospectives of cinema classics. Berlinale film programme, Nordic film days, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Kazakh, Japanese film days are just a few of these events. Film club screenings take place regularly. .
In cooperation with Society Ekrāns, Riga Film Museum and ACME Film, one of the most popular film lecture cycles in Latvia “Tas, ko tu nedrīksti nezināt/Things you can’t afford not to know” takes place at the cinema.
The programme is further diversified by opera, ballet and concert live transmissions and recordings from the world famous opera houses and festivals, including La Scala, Liceu, Salzburg Festival. Cultural events like concerts, theatre performances and exhibitions often take place in cinema’s premises as well. In the future more educational events for the youth are anticipated.
Cinema’s “Riga” staff painter is Artis Koknevičs. His unique large-scale paintings on canvas – film and event placards – are displayed at cinema’s entrance.
Since December 15, 2009, cinema “Riga” is a subdivision of Rigas Nami, Ltd.
Screening’s entrance fee:
Features 2.50 Ls – 3.00 Ls (approx. 3.50 – 4.00 Euros)
Documentaries 1.50 Ls – 2.00 Ls (approx. 2.00 – 2.80 Euros)
Latvian films and German film club screenings 2.00 Ls (approx. 2.80 Euros)
On Tuesdays (except national holidays) – 50% discount on feature film screenings.
With ISIC - discount 0.50 Ls (0.70 Euro) on feature film and documentary screenings.
Free entrance for children under 7 years accompanied with parents if a separate seat is not required.
Free entrance for children under 3 years on children film screenings.
Above mentioned entrance fees may not valid for festivals, retrospectives and other special programmes.
Cinema „Riga” offers its premises for festivals, film premieres and screenings, concerts, performances and other cultural and festive events.
The Large Hall with its luxurious and festive interior is perfect venue for film premieres, opening and closing ceremonies of festivals, opera, ballet and concert transmissions, theatre performances and concerts. The New Hall will suit for small-scale events (up to 80 persons) – chamber-style theatre performances and concerts, cabaret shows and interest club events, children and family entertainment. All three halls are convenient for workshops, conferences, presentations, private and corporative events with film or video screenings as well as for multimedia projects.
Versailles Hall at ground floor and Green Hall at first floor are available for afterparties, coffee breaks and catering. Additionally, it is possible to use services of cinema’s cafe TINTO Wine Room.
Cinema’s foyer at the ground floor may host exhibitions.
Large Hall – 557 seats (423 m2)
Small Hall – 206 seats (315 m2)
New Hall – up to 80 seats (180m2); foyer for exhibitions etc. (44m2)
Green Hall – 93 m2
Versailles Hall – 87 m2
Cinema is equipped with 35 mm film and digital projectors with Dolby Digital sound.
For further inquiries and booking please write to baiba.dislere@riga.lv
A special price for you and your classmates!
Choose a film from cinema’s repertoire and get a discount price at cinema box-office for schoolchildren groups over 10 persons.
Educational programmes
We offer to collaborate on special educational screenings or film club screenings for schoolchildren. Films from cinema “Riga” repertoire and archive are available as well as video materials brought by the school.
Even if I set out to make a film about a fillet of sole, it would be about me!
Kino „Rīga”
Elizabetes str. 61, Riga, LV 1050
Information on programme
ph.: +371 67181144
fax: +371 67012810
BOX-OFFICE WORKING HOURS
From 12:30 (in the matinee days – 1 hour before the first screening) until the beginning of the last screening.Box-office ph.: +371 67181143
Cinema’s new cafe TINTO Wine Room invites to enjoy a pleasant atmosphere, exclusive wines and delicious tapas as well as full breakfast, lunch or dinner. If you decide to attend any of cinema „Riga” film screenings or events, the tickets will be brought to you at the table.
Working hours: from 8:00 – 24:00.
Cinema „Riga” building is a national architectural monument.
The founders of the cinema were Vasilijs Jemeljanovs and Leonids Falsteins (JSC ARS). It was the first free-standing building in Riga intended exclusively for film screening with a hall for 824 viewers. The building has an imposing neo-baroque facade and amazingly varied neo-rococo style interior details.
The building was designed by architect Fridrihs Karlis Skujins (1880 – 1957). The decors of the Main Hall were sculpted by Rihards Maurs and Jekabs Legzdins (1894 – 1937). The paintings by Hermanis Grinbergs (1888 – 1928) are highly valuable, especially Large Hall’s plafond.
The grand opening of cinema “Splendid Palace” (from December 1952 – “Riga”) took place on 30th December, 1923 with the film Under Two Flags (USA, 1922, directed by Tod Browning).
The cinema stood out with its’ remarkable repertoire and first-rate service and in the silent film period had an excellent orchestra, conducted by Oto Karli.
In the October 1929 a sound film was screened here for the first time in the Baltic States – The Singing Fool by Lloyd Bacon (USA, 1928).
Since 1930s “Splendid Palace” has been the main venue of Latvian film premieres.
In 1969 cinema „Spartaks” was built next to cinema „Riga”. Today’s Small Hall of cinema „Riga” is actually the old hall of „Spartaks”, reconstructed in 1998. In the rear of the hall rows with two-seated sofas has been added.
Since 1994 cinema “Riga” has been the member of European film network “Europa Cinemas” and since 2007 – member of international art-house cinema association “Art Cinema” CICAE.
Since March 2010 cinema “Riga” has three screening halls with 863 seats altogether.
Latest renovation and reconstruction works of the cinema took place from 2006 – 2010. During this time cinema’s interior was renovated, a new screen was installed in the Large Hall and its stage was expanded to make it more convenient for concerts, theatre performances and multi-medial events; cinema’s historical cafe was rebuilt into a new multi-functional hall.
A particular kind of plastering enhancing acoustic quality was used in renovation of Large Hall’s ceiling. Hermanis Grinberg’s plafond was renovated by JSC „Buvuznemums Restaurators”. In the Small (or Spartak’s) Hall a renovated wooden figural group that used to adorn the foyer of cinema “Spartaks” (now game hall “Klondaika”) is now displayed.
A separate wheelchair entrance and elevator was built to make the cinema accessible to disabled persons.
In the spring 2010 TINTO Wine Room was opened in the former box office premises built during Soviet times, welcoming not only cinemagoers but also all other inhabitants and guests of Riga.
Cinema „Riga” is open for tourists daily from 12:30 to the beginning of the first screening.
Guided tours
We offer guided tours of the cinema for tourist and schoolchildren groups up to 25 persons. You will hear interesting facts about the history and architecture of the cinema and see the splendour of it – the neo-rococo Large Hall, Versailles Hall and luxurious Green Hall.
Length of the tour – 20 min.
Entrance fee – 1.50 Ls (approx. 2.00 Euros) per person.
Booking ph. +371 67181145
Guided tour with film screening (only with advance booking)
The tour of the cinema may be supplemented by screening of film excerpts or silent film with a piano accompaniment. When booking the tour you will be able to choose a film on architecture or history, animation or silent film whose excerpts will be screened during the tour. This is a guided tour for groups of 10 – 20 persons. Length of the tour – 30 min. Entrance fee for whole group – 40.00 Ls (approx. 56.00 Euros). Groups over 20 persons may apply with additional fee 2.00 Ls (approx. 3.00 Euros) per person.
Booking - baiba.dislere@riga.lv
Entrance fee for individual tourists – 1.00 Ls (1.40 Euros)
Entrance fee for seniors, students, disabled persons – 0.50 Ls (0.70 Euros)
Cinema "Rīga" staff
Cinema "Rīga" gallery